The present invention relates to a clip for attaching an airbag attaching member for a curtain-shield airbag to a body panel and to assemblies using the clip.
A device for attaching a head-protecting curtain-shield airbag to a body panel is disclosed in Laid-Open Patent Application [TOKKAI] No. 2002-104127, gazette publication (Patent Literature 1). This device comprises, a knob, a leg, and an engagement member. By inserting the engagement member and leg of the device into an attachment hole in an airbag attaching member and into an attachment hole in the body panel, and turning the knob, the curtain-shield airbag is attached to the body panel.
A screw grommet for coupling two panels is disclosed in Laid-Open Patent Application [TOKKAI] No. H1-216109/1989, gazette publication (Patent Literature 2). This screw grommet comprises a shaft with a flange at one end. A bore for receiving a tapping screw extends through the flange and the shaft. Tapered flexible claws project outwardly from the shaft. In use, the shaft is inserted through an attachment hole in one panel until one side of the flange abuts that panel; a second panel is abutted with the other side of the flange with an attachment hole aligned with the attachment hole of the first panel; and the screw is threaded into the bore of the grommet through the attachment holes in the panels. The flexible claws project outwardly from the shaft to hold the screw grommet in place.
A clip for attaching a part to a body panel is disclosed in Laid-Open Utility Model Application [JIKKAI] No. S59-141210/1984, gazette publication (Patent Literature 3) and comprises a bushing and a flanged pin that is inserted into the bushing to expand the bushing and hold it on the panel even if there are burrs in a panel attachment hole into which the bushing is inserted.
With the device for attaching a curtain-shield airbag to a body panel described in TOKKAI 2002-104127, gazette publication (Patent Literature 1), an attachment operation can be performed without the use of tools, but the strength of the attachment is not high. Since the airbag deploys very rapidly when activated, the reactive force on the device is large, and there is a danger of detachment.
With another curtain-shield airbag attachment device, a nut is welded to the body panel, and the airbag attaching member of the curtain-shield airbag is attached with a bolt. The strength of that attachment is great, but there is the necessity of welding the nut to the body panel, which militates against simplifying automobile assembly operations. Furthermore, in the attaching operation, the curtain-shield airbag must first be provisionally attached to the body panel, and then permanently attached with a bolt, requiring a special structure for the provisional attachment.
With the screw grommet of TOKKAI No. H1-216109/1989, gazette publication (Patent Literature 2), an operation is required for positioning the second panel and holding it so that the attachment hole thereof is aligned with the bore opening in the flange, and a tapping screw screwing operation is also required.
With the clip in JIKKAI No. S59-141210, gazette publication (Patent Literature 3), attachment is maintained even if there are burrs in the edge of the attachment hole, but both the bushing and the pin must be formed in a special shape so as to suppress the effects of burrs.
In Patent Literature 2, moreover, there is no suggestion of the screw grommet thereof being usable in attaching a curtain-shield airbag, nor in Patent Literature 3 is there any suggestion of the clip thereof being usable in attaching a curtain-shield airbag. More particularly, there is no teaching as to how to cope with the reaction force against the clip which accompanies the rapid deployment of the airbag when activated.